VarsityXtra

If all holds according to plan, Higley-products Ryan and Kyle Davis will resume their brotherly baseball careers together.

Both will play at Division I Norfolk State this year. Ryan, a junior, and Kyle, an incoming freshman, are believed to be the first two baseball players from Higley to earn D-I scholarships.

It’s especially gratifying for Ryan, who suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder two years ago. He rehabbed and worked his way back with help from Velocity Sports Performance locally, which ultimately proved the difference in him being re-exposed to college baseball programs.

They’ve created one list at Higley. Now they just need to earn spots on another list (namely, the roster) in Virginia.

It’s not every day in this industry when a sports figure asks the reporter a question; it’s almost always the other way around. And wouldn’t you know, I almost messed it up.

I was standing next to Illinois coach Bruce Weber watching the finals of the Desert Duel Summer Prep Memorial (an AAU tournament) when he asked me if I was from the area, and to verify directions to the airport.

I looked at the jotted down highways on his program and told him he had it correct: head east on US-60, north on Loop 101 and west on Loop 202 to get you to Sky Harbor from Mesquite High School. He nodded and we continued watching the action for a second before my mind reprocessed the information. I had to get his attention again to tell him to actually go west on US-60 to find Loop 101.

After he left, I imagined Bruce Weber driving east for miles on end, not figuring it out until he hit Globe and eventually missing his flight. I would have been right near Eric Gordon on his list of most disliked people. Then again, Apache Junction could have picked up a fantastic boys basketball coach.

This fall’s TV games are shaping up to be an interesting string of Thursdays (and a couple Fridays).

Chandler Hamilton and Booker T. Washington (Miami, Fla.) is likely to be aired on Cox Ch. 7. Phoenix Desert Vista and Chandler are eyeing a possible FSNAZ tilt on Sept. 19.

Those three, plus Scottsdale Chaparral, Paradise Valley, Basha and Scottsdale Notre Dame, don’t raise an eyebrow.

It’s the others. Scottsdale Desert Mountain against Mesa Desert Ridge? Mesa vs. Tempe Corona del Sol? Laveen Cesar Chavez at Phoenix Trevor Browne?

Desert Mountain should be an improved team, and Cesar Chavez has new coach Jim Rattay and his controversial past as TV fodder.

This variety of schools would be a welcome sight to see, but when it come to those coveted TV ratings, a few of these are head-scratchers.

Apache Junction defensive end Rusty Fernando has been offered a scholarship by Army. Safety Shane McCullen committed to Arizona State earlier this summer, giving the Prospectors a pair of Division-I athletes.

“I don’t think that’s happened in the time I’ve been here,” Apache Junction coach Rich Milligan said.

Fernando had 90 tackles and eight sacks last season for Apache Junction. Milligan said McCullen will play offense and defense this season, starting at running back and playing a hybrid safety/linebacker position on defense.

Milligan said changing the culture at the school is still one of his main tasks. While the community was overjoyed with last season’s 6-6 mark and state tournament berth, the team still felt like it underachieved. Even more is expected internally this season, but with the lack of participation in the program, competing with Scottsdale Chaparral and Scottsdale Saguaro is always going to be a tough task.

Milligan said losing a starter has such a bigger impact at his school than at Chaparral or Saguaro. The low participation also shows up in practice, when the first-team isn’t challenged much by the reserves.

“Our starters made no improvement from the middle of the season 0n, to be honest with you,” Milligan said.

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The latest news at Chaparral involves in the addition of linebacker/defensive end Tyler Ermisch to the fold. Coach Charlie Ragle said he’s 6-foot-2, 230-pounds and will add depth to both positions.

Ermisch transferred in from Glendale Sandra Day O’Connor, where he was an all-region linebacker last season. Chaparral returns nine defensive starters from last year’s semifinal team.

A first counter punch against this anarchistic high school transfer policy was enacted Tuesday, as the Arizona Interscholastic Association membership body passed a new, more rigorous set of forms and regulations for those who want to skip around town.

The governing body and its school athletic directors grew tired of having to answer questions, listen to whispers and get pointed the finger when shady practices ensued in the name of athletics.

Out came Form 520, a tougher, longer application process which requires more authorizations, information and background checks on all students who want to transfer, regardless of their reasons.

Questions still need answers. 

Will schools will respond diligenty to transfer requests while the paperwork and administrative duties continue to be a burden? 

Will students and parents who think their kid is a world-beater who should have colleges begging them to take their scholarships, think twice before following this delusional approach?

What will be the next loophole found and exploited by said delusionists?

We’ll find out, but for once, the AIA and its constituents are willing to wrestle.